


I could not bear to live in a world where I could not have you

by lavenderlotion



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Erik Lehnsherr Being a Drama Queen, First Kiss, Kidnapping, Love Confessions, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Mistaken Identity, Princes & Princesses, Rescue, misun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-30
Updated: 2019-11-30
Packaged: 2021-02-18 12:29:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21610918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lavenderlotion/pseuds/lavenderlotion
Summary: Erik’s sword was pressed to Raven’s throat, and Charles’ chest went unbearably tight at the sight. Oh dear, but this was very much not going how Charles had wanted.
Relationships: Erik Lehnsherr/Charles Xavier
Comments: 17
Kudos: 111





	I could not bear to live in a world where I could not have you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [InsertSthMeaningful](https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsertSthMeaningful/gifts).



> For Steph who is _“vine trash but also like fairy tales”_ <3

Charles let out a heavy breath as he dismounted his steed, patting the old girl's flank sweetly as he thanked her quietly for a ride well-made. She had been with him for many years now and he hoped they would be together for many more for how smoothly she rode. It was with a heavy heart that he stepped away, knowing that the years he wished to spend together may be nothing more than a dying wish in only a few moments.

Erik Lehnsherr, the ruler of the kingdom named Magneto, had taken the Princess and heir to the kingdom of Cerebro two moons ago, and so far their scouts had not been able to secure knowledge of her survival. Charles had nothing but an unstoppable hope and a deep love for his princess, though he knew he could not lead his kingdom to war on those alone.

That was why he was alone in enemy land, nothing but his greatest steed and the sword strapped to his waist—a present to him from the one he was here to rescue. He loved Raven so very much, and finding of her abduction had been the very worst moment of his life. There was no pain that could compare the way he ached with her loss. The pain was made impossibly worse with the grave knowledge that it was King Lehnsherr that had taken Raven, and that it was King Lehnsherr he would have to defeat to get her back.

Charles had never been foolish enough to call what they held between them courtship. They were both men, but even more, they were both nobles and they had a duty to their people and to their kingdoms that neither of them had ever ignored or tried to shy away from. But even with that being said...they had never tried to shy away from one another either, and they had certainly been toeing the line of something that would have been very inappropriate should anyone have found out.

The relationship they shared, no matter how it presented itself, made this betrayal hurt all the more. Charles rather felt like he had lost the love his life and his closest friend in one fell swoop, and he knew that today he would only be able to return with one of them still in his life...perhaps even still alive.

It was with a very heavy heart that Charles began walking towards the main buildings of Magneto. It was a kingdom made of metal. Smooth sheets of polished iron made up the streets that Charles walked silently upon as he had layered his boots with wool socks. It was not his first time in this kingdom and it weighed heavily on him that it would be his last—but never could he come back after what Erik had done. 

Goodness, how could Charles have ever been so wrong about the other man? It was that thought that brought him upon an open expanse that would otherwise be a field or a natural clearing within the woods if Magneto had any such spaces. Rather, it was just a flat expanse of iron and other metals, though if Charles was pressed to remember the names of each he would only remember how Erik had looked like when naming them. 

At the end of the clearing was a home that was nearly as familiar as his own. He had spent many hours here over the last number of years—the time they spent together had been rather expansive, and it was Charles was so terribly troubled by what Erik was doing now. To take away the one person Charles cared more for than anyone in the entire world—save Erik, if he was pressed to be honest—was something that made so very little sense Charles could not understand why Erik had done it. 

Though, Charles figured he need not know why Erik had chosen to betray him in such a way as long as Charles rescued Raven and brought her home with him where she belonged. 

“Erik Lehnsherr!” Charles called out bravely, placing his hand on his sword and drawing his shoulders back. He was not a very large or impressive warrior, that he knew, but he was very clever and that had won him a great many battles. 

This was not one of his cleverest moments, of that he knew very well, but he was much too nervous to care about any of that. Erik had  _ Raven,  _ and Charles would not rest until he was sure of her safety. He felt very lucky that they were a little ways from the main part of the town, and Charles knew only Erik and his closest staff lived out in these parts. 

It was no surprise when Erik exited his home. He would recognize the back of Erik’s head anyway, and the stretch of his shoulders was familiar even under the armour he wore. Charles’ throat was tight with anticipation of what was to come, and it all felt like too much. It all became much worse when Erik turned around to reveal Raven pressed to his chest. 

Erik’s sword was pressed to Raven’s throat, and Charles’ chest went unbearably tight at the sight. Oh dear, but this was very much not going how Charles had wanted. Before Charles could even begin to think of a way out of what was happening, Erik was shouting at him. 

“You’ll never have her!” Erik demanded. There was something crazed to his eyes that Charles had never seen before. It made his chest tighten with worry—what if something had happened to Erik or someone he cared for? New could travel slowly between their kingdoms and it had been several days since they had last seen one another. 

“My friend, please,” it was a desperate plea from a desperate man, Charles knew, but it was all he had. “Why are you doing this?”

Erik’s face broke apart, and despite the danger Raven was in Charles found he could not stop himself from taking a half step forward and raising his arm. It cut him deeply to see Erik so hurt and by what Charles knew not. He...well, he loved the man before him so very much that he lied awake with it each evening, ached with it each day, and found himself thinking of it each moment. Erik was not like anyone Charles had ever known and there was nothing he would not do for the other man. 

And maybe...Charles took another step closer, and he found himself getting lost in Erik’s eyes, not for the first time at all, but the first time he did not feel the slightest guilt with doing so. Erik was such a gorgeous man that Charles never would have been able to ignore his beauty completely even if there were times he tried to act as though he were not so deeply affected by it. 

Now, he did not have to hide. He looked upon the man he loved and the one person he held more dearly than any other and felt as though his heart was breaking. It was infuriating to not understand what was going on and the fear he felt was so very real as the metal of Erik’s sword pressed against Raven’s throat.

“I love you.” It was simply declared. Erik’s voice was sure and it rang out clearly, echoing off the metal his home was made of. 

“If you loved me, you would not harm my sister,” Charles said just as simply. 

“Y-your sister?” Erik repeated in a tone Charles had never heard from him before. Quite honestly it sounded absolutely befuddled. 

“Yes, his sister, you blood moron! I have been telling you this for days you goddamn fool!” Raven’s voice was more shrill that Charles had heard it since she was but a child screaming over her dolls. It almost caused a smile to stretch over Charles’ lips, but he was still far too greatly confused. 

“I am afraid I don’t understand what is going on here. Erik...I love you too, so very much. I—well, I was willing to give up my title if that meant being with you. I do not understand what would possibly possess you to kidnap my sister! Please, Erik, tell me if there is something wrong?” Charles' voice on the second utterance of the man’s name. Oh, but his heart was so very sore.

His confusion did not clear up any as Erik’s sword fell to the ground and clattered loudly to the ground. Raven made another shrill noise, whirled around, and punched Erik in the face. Charles rushed forward, worry for both his sister and the man he loved whirling through his mind. He could not think of whom to rush to first, but found that the decision was taken from him as Raven called out a few choice words and stomped away. 

Erik’s cheek was very warm against the tips of Charles’ fingers. There was a bit of a crowd forming, other people from the kingdom coming to watch the show. Charles did not know very many of them but there was a small number of folk he recognized from his travels in the past. As it was, he ignored them all and tilted Erik’s face up towards his own. 

God, but Erik was such a terribly handsome man. Charles had always known that he was very good-looking but now, closer than he had ever been before, he could see the faintest of golden flecks in Erik’s iris and could see a few fair ginger hairs threaded through the rest of his beard. 

When they finally met eyes, Charles could not help the soft smile that crossed his face despite everything that had happened. “My friend, what was all this?”

“I thought she was your intended,” Erik told him after a long pause of silence wherein the only noise came from the gathering townsfolk. “I thought you were being wed, or forced into being wed and I...I could not live in a world where I could not have you, Charles Xavier, so I took the thing I thought would keep us apart.” 

Charles flattened his hand against Erik’s cheek, and the man covered it with his own before turning his face into the touch. His breath was warm on Charles’ hand as Erik breathed, and he felt his heart race and race until it was beating so very quickly he could hardly catch his breath. 

“Erik...” Charles could not find the words so he did not bother. Rather, he leaned and very gently pressed their lips together in a kiss they had both been waiting for a very long time. Erik made a noise of hunger and pressed closer, kissing Charles much more deeply until they were both panting and resting their foreheads together so they could breathe.

“Will you be my King, Charles?” Erik asked. The skin around his eyes crinkled handsomely and Charles found that it was so very easy to nod his head and kiss him again. 

**Author's Note:**

> come say hi to me on [tumblr](https://lavender-lotion.tumblr.com/)!  
> comments and kudos are much appreciated!


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